Diet is similar to ther botiine loaches. As these are quite greedy eaters, they will eat just about everything you can provide but be careful not to overfeed.

Size

Water parameters for Orange Finned Loach

The Orange Finned Loach should be kept in an aquarium with the temperature ranging from 78 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit, and a Ph of around 6.5.

Description

Also called red finned loach and blue botia, this fish is feisty and quite aggressive reaching a size of 10 inches but smaller in captivity. Like other loaches, they establish a social hierarchy where the "alpha" eventually leads the group. They also make "clicking" sounds and become more vocal during feeding time and even violent conflicts.

Due to their size and social behavioral pattern, a large tank with cobbles and soft substrate with regular water changes and powerful filtration are quite essential. They are best kept with other aggressive and feisty loach species and larger tankmates such as large barbs (Hampala Barb, Tinfoil Barb and possibly Arulius Barb.

Body coloration is quite variable with some having fins ranging from yellow, red and orange. A pink morph is also available but blue is more common around the aquarium trade.

This loach, sadly, has been subjected under dyeing process. This should not be encouraged as it only harms the fish. In any case, the color is not permanent and will fade as time follows. They can be distinguished from the ones not dyed by looking for darker splotches of color on some parts of the body.

No captive breeding has ever been reported, however, it is possible they have been bred via hormone injection.